Fly Angler's OnLine "Fly of the Week #22"

Black Prawn

January 26th, 1998

Black Prawn

Hook:

Partridge Single Salmon (or cheaper substitute) 1/0 - 8/0.

Thread:

Black 3/0 or Kelvar.

Tail:

Black bear or bucktail.

Topping:

A golden pheasant tippet rolled over the top of the tail (cut out the center of the tippet feather).

Eyes:
(optional)

After the first section of the dubbed body is completed, apply a jungle-cock eye feather to each side and lay it sloping downward. Do this before or after you apply hackle to the first section.

Body:

Three equal sections of dubbed (I use a dubbbing loop) black seal fur or substitute.

Hackle:

At the end of each section use a long webby feather from the golden pheasant flank (the reddish ones) and hackle it one to two turns (fold hackle back as you wind to get feathers to lay rearward).

Wing:

Following the hackle on each section take a smaller pheasant flank (reddish) and lay it over the top of the section.

To help get the wing to lay properly, using a small pair of pliers, squeeze the stem to flatten. This will help form the feather to the fly's shape. — Chris Bellows
Tying Instructions:

  1. Tie in a sparse bunch of black bear, bucktail or equivalant.

  2. Take a natural golden pheasant tippet feather with the center cut out, and lay it over the tail, covering about 1/4 to 1/3 of the tail.

  3. Dub a thin body 1/3 of the hook length (there are 3 sections) of seal or substitute. Make sure to pick out the body to give it that shaggy appearance.

  4. Take a long fibered golden pheasant flank feather. Tie in by the tip. Make 2 turns of hackle, making sure to fold the fibers back so all fibers face rearward.

  5. On each side of the body, tie in a jungle cock feather sloping slightly downward covering some of the previously dubbed section. Flatten stem with pliers to get the feather to lay down properly.

  6. Take a smaller golden pheasant flank feather and tie it on top of the hook to form the first part of the wing. Flatten to shape as before

  7. Repeat steps 3 through 6 (disregard step 5 for additional 2 body sections) 2 more times.

  8. Whip finish.

Viola, the Black Prawn. — Chris Bellows

"Tying Tip"

I normally use a dubbing loop for the dubbing, although another technique that will work is to separate the thread you are tying with, putting the dubbing in the separation, spinning it, and then wrapping on the shank. — CB

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